the hand of ethelberta-第53章

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'You　will　have　a　chance　of　seeing　her　soon。　　When　the　door　is　nicely
open　you　can　look　in　for　a　moment。　　I　must　leave　you　now　for　a　few
minutes；　but　I　will　come　again。'

Menlove　departed；　and　Picotee　stood　waiting。　　She　wondered　how
Ethelberta　was　getting　on；　and　whether　she　enjoyed　herself　as　much
as　it　seemed　her　duty　to　do　in　such　a　superbly　hospitable　place。
Picotee　then　turned　her　attention　to　the　hall；　every　article　of
furniture　therein　appearing　worthy　of　scrutiny　to　her　unaccustomed
eyes。　　Here　she　walked　and　looked　about　for　a　long　time　till　an
excellent　opportunity　offered　itself　of　seeing　how　affairs
progressed　in　the　dining…room。

Through　the　partly…opened　door　there　became　visible　a　sideboard
which　first　attracted　her　attention　by　its　richness。　　It　was；
indeed；　a　noticeable　example　of　modern　art…workmanship；　in　being
exceptionally　large；　with　curious　ebony　mouldings　at　different
stages；　and；　while　the　heavy　cupboard　doors　at　the　bottom　were
enriched　with　inlays　of　paler　wood；　other　panels　were　decorated　with
tiles；　as　if　the　massive　composition　had　been　erected　on　the　spot　as
part　of　the　solid　building。　　However；　it　was　on　a　space　higher　up
that　Picotee's　eyes　and　thoughts　were　fixed。　　In　the　great　mirror
above　the　middle　ledge　she　could　see　reflected　the　upper　part　of　the
dining…room；　and　this　suggested　to　her　that　she　might　see　Ethelberta
and　the　other　guests　reflected　in　the　same　way　by　standing　on　a
chair；　which；　quick　as　thought；　she　did。

To　Picotee's　dazed　young　vision　her　beautiful　sister　appeared　as　the
chief　figure　of　a　glorious　pleasure…parliament　of　both　sexes；
surrounded　by　whole　regiments　of　candles　grouped　here　and　there
about　the　room。　　She　and　her　companions　were　seated　before　a　large
flowerbed；　or　small　hanging　garden；　fixed　at　about　the　level　of　the
elbow；　the　attention　of　all　being　concentrated　rather　upon　the
uninteresting　margin　of　the　bed；　and　upon　each　other；　than　on　the
beautiful　natural　objects　growing　in　the　middle；　as　it　seemed　to
Picotee。　　In　the　ripple　of　conversation　Ethelberta's　clear　voice
could　occasionally　be　heard；　and　her　young　sister　could　see　that　her
eyes　were　bright；　and　her　face　beaming；　as　if　divers　social　wants
and　looming　penuriousness　had　never　been　within　her　experience。　　Mr。
Doncastle　was　quite　absorbed　in　what　she　was　saying。　　So　was　the
queer　old　man　whom　Menlove　had　called　Lord　Mountclere。

'The　dashing　widow　looks　very　well；　does　she　not？'　said　a　person　at
Picotee's　elbow。

It　was　her　conductor　Menlove；　now　returned　again；　whom　Picotee　had
quite　forgotten。

'She　will　do　some　damage　here　to…night　you　will　find；'　continued
Menlove。　　'How　long　have　you　been　with　her？'

'O；　a　long　timeI　mean　rather　a　short　time；'　stammered　Picotee。

'I　know　her　well　enough。　　I　was　her　maid　once；　or　rather　her　mother…
in…law's；　but　that　was　long　before　you　knew　her。　　I　did　not　by　any
means　find　her　so　lovable　as　you　seem　to　think　her　when　I　had　to　do
with　her　at　close　quarters。　　An　awful　flirtawful。　　Don't　you　find
her　so？'

'I　don't　know。'

'If　you　don't　yet　you　will　know。　　But　come　down　from　your　perchthe
dining…room　door　will　not　be　open　again　for　some　timeand　I　will
show　you　about　the　rooms　upstairs。　　This　is　a　larger　house　than　Mrs。
Petherwin's；　as　you　see。　　Just　come　and　look　at　the　drawing…rooms。'

Wishing　much　to　get　rid　of　Menlove；　yet　fearing　to　offend　her；
Picotee　followed　upstairs。　　Dinner　was　almost　over　by　this　time；　and
when　they　entered　the　front　drawing…room　a　young　man…servant　and
maid　were　there　rekindling　the　lights。

'Now　let's　have　a　game　of　cat…and…mice；'　said　the　maid…servant
cheerily。　　'There's　plenty　of　time　before　they　come　up。'

'Agreed；'　said　Menlove　promptly。　　'You　will　play；　will　you　not；　Miss
Chickerel？'

'No；　indeed；'　said　Picotee；　aghast。

'Never　mind；　then；　you　look　on。'

Away　then　ran　the　housemaid　and　Menlove；　and　the　young　footman
started　at　their　heels。　　Round　the　room；　over　the　furniture；　under
the　furniture；　through　the　furniture；　out　of　one　window；　along　the
balcony；　in　at　another　window；　again　round　the　roomso　they　glided
with　the　swiftness　of　swallows　and　the　noiselessness　of　ghosts。

Then　the　housemaid　drew　a　jew's…harp　from　her　pocket；　and　struck　up
a　lively　waltz　sotto　voce。　　The　footman　seized　Menlove；　who　appeared
nothing　loth；　and　began　spinning　gently　round　the　room　with　her；　to
the　time　of　the　fascinating　measure

　　　　　'Which　fashion　hails；　from　countesses　to　queens；
　　　　　　And　maids　and　valets　dance　behind　the　scenes。'

Picotee；　who　had　been　accustomed　to　unceiled　country　cottages　all
her　life；　wherein　the　scamper　of　a　mouse　is　heard　distinctly　from
floor　to　floor；　exclaimed　in　a　terrified　whisper；　at　viewing　all
this；　'They'll　hear　you　underneath；　they'll　hear　you；　and　we　shall
all　be　ruined！'

'Not　at　all；'　came　from　the　cautious　dancers。　　'These　are　some　of
the　best　built　houses　in　Londondouble　floors；　filled　in　with
material　that　will　deaden　any　row　you　like　to　make；　and　we　make
none。　　But　come　and　have　a　turn　yourself；　Miss　Chickerel。'

The　young　man　relinquished　Menlove；　and　on　the　spur　of　the　moment
seized　Picotee。　　Picotee　flounced　away　from　him　in　indignation；
backing　into　a　corner　with　ruffled　feathers；　like　a　pullet　trying　to
appear　a　hen。

'How　dare　you　touch　me！'　she　said；　with　rounded　eyes。　　'I'll　tell
somebody　downstairs　of　you；　who'll　soon　see　about　it！'

'What　a　baby；　she'll　tell　her　father。'

'No　I　shan't；　somebody　you　are　all　afraid　of；　that's　who　I'll　tell。'

'Nonsense；'　said　Menlove；　'he　meant　no　harm。'

Playtime　was　now　getting　short；　and　further　antics　being　dangerous
on　that　account；　the　performers　retired　again　downstairs；　Picotee　of
necessity　following。　　Her　nerves　were　screwed　up　to　the　highest
pitch　of　uneasiness　by　the　grotesque　habits　of　these　men　and　maids；
who　were　quite　unlike　the　country　servants　she　had　known；　and
resembled　nothing　so　much　as　pixies；　elves；　or　gnomes；　peeping　up
upon　human　beings　from　their　shady　haunts　underground；　sometimes　for
good；　sometimes　for　illsometimes　doing　heavy　work；　sometimes　none；
teasing　and　worrying　with　impish　laughter　half　suppressed；　and
vanishing　directly　mortal　eyes　were　bent　on　them。　　Separate　and
distinct　from　overt　existence　under　the　sun；　this　life　could　hardly
be　without　its　distinctive　pleasures；　all　of　them　being　more　or　less
pervaded　by　thrills　and　titillations　from　games　of　hazard；　and　the
perpetual　risk　of　sensational　surprises。

Long　before　this　time　Picotee　had　begun　to　be　anxious　to　get　home
again；　but　Menlove　seemed　particularly　to　desire　her　company；　and
pressed　her　to　sit　awhile；　telling　her　young　friend；　by　way　of
entertainment；　of　various　extraordinary　love　adventures　in　which　she
had　figured　as　heroine　when　travelling　on　the　Continent。　　These
stories　had　one　and　all　a　remarkable　likeness　in　a　certain　point
Menlove　was　always　unwilling　to　love　the　adorer；　and　the　adorer　was
always　unwilling　to　live　afterwards　on　account　of　it。

'Ha…ha…ha！'　in　men's　voices　was　heard　from　the　distant　dining…room
as　the　two　women　went　on　talking。

'And　then；'　continued　Menlove；　'there　was　that　duel　I　was　the　cause
of　between　the　courier　and　the　French　valet。　　Dear　me；　what　a
trouble　that　was；　yet　I　could　do　nothing　to　prevent　it。　　This
courier　was　a　very　handsome　manthey　are　handsome　sometimes。'

'Yes；　they　are。　　My　aunt　married　one。'

'Did　she？　　Where　do　they　live？'

'They　keep　an　hotel　at　Rouen；'　murmured　Picotee；　in　doubt　whether
this　should　have　been　told　or　not。

'Well；　he　used　to　follow　me　to　the　English　Church　every　Sunday
regularly；　and　I　was　so　determined　not　to　give　my　hand　where　my
heart　could　never　be；　that　I　slipped　out　at　the　other　door　while　he
stood　expecting　me　by　the　one　I　entered。　　Here　I　met　M。　Pierre；
when；　as　ill　luck　would　have　it；　the　other　came　round　the　corner；
and　seeing　me　talking　to　the　valet；　he　challenged　him　at　once。'

'Ha…ha…ha！'　was　heard　again　afar。

'Did　they　fight？'　said　Picotee。

'Yes；　I　believe　they　did。　　We　left　Nice　the　next　day；　but　I　heard
some　time　after　of　a　duel　not　many　miles　off；　and　although　I　could
not　get　hold　of　the　names；　I　make　no　doubt　it　was　bet